Luther Jackson Middle School
Encyclopedia
Luther Jackson Middle School, located in Falls Church
, Virginia
, is a part of the Fairfax County Public School
system and is one of 26 public middle schools in the county. It opened in 1954 as Luther Jackson High School, the first all-black high school in Fairfax County. This gave Virginia African-American students a closer option than schools in Washington DC.
In 1965, when the county was integrated, the school was designated as Luther Jackson Intermediate School, which eventually changed to Luther Jackson Middle School. The school is named after Dr. Luther P. Jackson, an established historian and educator.
The school opened a GT program to prevent overcrowding at Kilmer Middle School
and Frost Middle School.
Four months after the opening, the Supreme Court declared separate education for students of different races was unconstitutional. But not until September 1960 did 19 black Fairfax high school students began classes at eight previously "white only" schools. By 1965 the county schools were completely integrated.
Although the first decade of the school was a turbulent time for race relations, alumni from the school said it was a calm place with dedicated teachers, despite county authorities often giving the school outdated books and meagre supplies. Football and basketball games were popular events that attracted people from across the black community, typically packing the bleachers in the gymnasium. Football players would to carry box lunches to distant games because they were barred from restaurants. Sock hops were held in the gym and dances in the cafeteria.
In 1965 the school was turned into an integrated middle school. Since then, the building has been renovated and expanded and now is the location of county School Board meetings.
By 2004, the Washington Post reported, the school's 1,050 students came from 60 countries, and 60 percent were minorities. A total of 40 languages were spoken by students, with Spanish the most prevalent among the 70 percent of students whose first language wasn't English, followed by Korean and Vietnamese.
The City agreed in December 2006 to move a day center for the homeless, from its location on Old Lee Highway Luther, because of its proximity to the school, especially because the center closes its doors in the late afternoon, moving some of its clients onto the streets.
and Oakton High School
. Some students in the GT program would attend Madison High School
. If accepted, students could also attend Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
.
, a non-profit organization.
. The StudentCam
competition asked middle- and high-school students to create and produce a video running less than 10 minutes about an issue important to them.
Toby McKeehan, a.k.a. tobyMac
, was a student from 1981-1983 and went on to lead the contemporary Christian rap and R&B group dc Talk
and now is a successful solo artist and co-founder of Gotee Records
in Franklin, Tenn.
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, is a part of the Fairfax County Public School
Fairfax County Public Schools
The Fairfax County Public Schools system is a branch of the Fairfax County government which administers public schools in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax...
system and is one of 26 public middle schools in the county. It opened in 1954 as Luther Jackson High School, the first all-black high school in Fairfax County. This gave Virginia African-American students a closer option than schools in Washington DC.
In 1965, when the county was integrated, the school was designated as Luther Jackson Intermediate School, which eventually changed to Luther Jackson Middle School. The school is named after Dr. Luther P. Jackson, an established historian and educator.
The school opened a GT program to prevent overcrowding at Kilmer Middle School
Joyce Kilmer Middle School
Joyce Kilmer Middle School is a school in the Fairfax County Public Schools System in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, east of the city of Vienna. Kilmer serves grades 7-8. It was named after the journalist and poet Joyce Kilmer...
and Frost Middle School.
History
The school was built and opened in September 1954 as Fairfax County's sole high school for black students after members of the black community, exasperated by having to send their children as far as Manassas or the District of Columbia, agitated for a school closer to home. It was named for prominent academic Luther P. Jackson, who headed the History Department at Virginia State College in Petersburg and founded the Negro Voters League of Virginia.Four months after the opening, the Supreme Court declared separate education for students of different races was unconstitutional. But not until September 1960 did 19 black Fairfax high school students began classes at eight previously "white only" schools. By 1965 the county schools were completely integrated.
Although the first decade of the school was a turbulent time for race relations, alumni from the school said it was a calm place with dedicated teachers, despite county authorities often giving the school outdated books and meagre supplies. Football and basketball games were popular events that attracted people from across the black community, typically packing the bleachers in the gymnasium. Football players would to carry box lunches to distant games because they were barred from restaurants. Sock hops were held in the gym and dances in the cafeteria.
In 1965 the school was turned into an integrated middle school. Since then, the building has been renovated and expanded and now is the location of county School Board meetings.
By 2004, the Washington Post reported, the school's 1,050 students came from 60 countries, and 60 percent were minorities. A total of 40 languages were spoken by students, with Spanish the most prevalent among the 70 percent of students whose first language wasn't English, followed by Korean and Vietnamese.
The City agreed in December 2006 to move a day center for the homeless, from its location on Old Lee Highway Luther, because of its proximity to the school, especially because the center closes its doors in the late afternoon, moving some of its clients onto the streets.
Feeder schools
For students attending Jackson as their base school, the two feeder high schools are Falls Church High SchoolFalls Church High School
Falls Church High School is a high school located in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia. While the school has a Falls Church, Virginia mailing address, the school is not located in the city of Falls Church and does not serve the City of Falls Church, which is served by...
and Oakton High School
Oakton High School
Oakton High School is a public high school in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in proximity to the town of Vienna, in the United States. It is part of Fairfax County Public Schools....
. Some students in the GT program would attend Madison High School
James Madison High School (Fairfax County, Virginia)
James Madison High School is a high school located in an unincorporated area of Fairfax County, Virginia, adjacent to the town limits of Vienna, and is part of Fairfax County Public Schools. Oakton High School is James Madison High School's main rival, although other rivals include Langley High...
. If accepted, students could also attend Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is a Virginia state-chartered magnet school located within Fairfax County, Virginia, United States...
.
2005-06 demographics
30.36% of the school population was Hispanic, 28.82% White, 25.08% Asian, 11.66% Black, and 4.07% Unspecified. 52.81% were male, and 47.19 were female.2006-07 SOL scores
Jackson is full accredited by the Virginia Department of Education. The following chart is for the 2005-2006 school year.| SOL Test | Percent Passing |
|---|---|
| Grade 7 English: Reading | 99% |
| Grade 7 Math | 97% |
| Grade 8 English: Reading | 98% |
| Grade 8 Science | 97% |
| Grade 8 English: Writing | 96% |
| Grade 8 Math | 80% |
Extracurricular activities
As part of a county initiative to combat concern about gangs, drug and alcohol use, the school expanded its sports offerings, in October 2004, to 300 students who participate in its three-day-a-week after-school program, with soccer matches, volleyball games, and softball.Notable faculty
In 2004, Steve Smith, a seventh-grade science teacher, was one of five recipients of the Teacher of the Year award given by the Challenger Center for Space Science EducationChallenger Center for Space Science Education
' is a nonprofit educational organization with its headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, and an international network of Challenger Learning Centers. The organization was founded in April 1986 by the families of the astronauts who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on January 28,...
, a non-profit organization.
Notable students
Ian Scott Wilson, in May 2007, was a first-prize winner in a student documentary contest sponsored by C-SPANC-SPAN
C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
. The StudentCam
StudentCam
StudentCam is an annual competition selecting the best video documentaries on current-affairs topics created by middle and high school students. It is sponsored by the Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network's Classroom project. All winning documentaries are available to watch on the StudentCam...
competition asked middle- and high-school students to create and produce a video running less than 10 minutes about an issue important to them.
Toby McKeehan, a.k.a. tobyMac
TobyMac
Toby McKeehan , better known by his stage name TobyMac , is a Christian recording artist, music producer, hip-hop/pop artist, singer-songwriter, and author....
, was a student from 1981-1983 and went on to lead the contemporary Christian rap and R&B group dc Talk
Dc Talk
DC Talk , is a Grammy-winning Christian rock music trio. The group was formed in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987 by Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max Smith. They have released five major studio albums together: DC Talk , Nu Thang , Free at Last , Jesus Freak , and Supernatural...
and now is a successful solo artist and co-founder of Gotee Records
Gotee Records
Gotee Records is a record label founded by dc Talk member Toby McKeehan , Todd Collins, and Joey Elwood...
in Franklin, Tenn.